


Rabbit Heart

by Maria_and_her_books



Category: LazyTown
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining, Plotbunny, and have a lot of feelings, clicheed bedsharing, for warmth why else, they are cold
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-18
Updated: 2020-02-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:01:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22789147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maria_and_her_books/pseuds/Maria_and_her_books
Summary: A winter's day, a wounded rabbit and Sportacus treading lightly.
Relationships: Robbie Rotten/Sportacus
Comments: 12
Kudos: 115





	Rabbit Heart

**Author's Note:**

> Not beta-ed, non-english writer. Please let me know if I've made glaring grammatical errors ;-)

The weather had been bad enough that even the children of Lazy Town had stayed indoors.  
Sportacus had curled up with a book in his airship while far below him the world gradually turned silver and white after days of frost and snow. 

His crystal going off got him on his feet and peering through his periscope in a blink. 

A lone figure struggling through the flurry. Bright colours in the snow.

Robbie. 

Robbie without a coat on. 

The man didn't have much regard for his own health and safety but for even for Robbie this was highly unusual. Wrapping his scarf around his neck while in free-fall Sportacus wondered what had made the man leave his bunker in this kind of weather. 

Coming closer Sportacus noticed that Robbie was not so much hunched over as... He was holding something close to his chest, something that seemed to be bundled up in his coat?

Robbie looked tired, well, more tired than usual. On his pale cheek there was a smear of...blood? He barely acknowledged Sportacus, a grumbled greeting as he doggedly put on foot in front of the other, his eyes fixed on the slippery road. It had not been a dismissal or a demand for solitude so Sportacus walked quietly beside him, ready to catch him when he'd slip. 

The gentle snowfall turned to harsh and freezing sleet as they left the town behind them.

Sportacus walked home with the man, Robbie telling him bits and pieces as they trudged through the snow. 

The power in Robbie's part of town had gone out and with it the heating. Robbie had gone about building a heating-system that did not run on electricity but had been missing some vital parts. 

He'd went to town to get them but halfway there there had been high-pitched screams, an animal trapped and hurting. Robbie had seen the red golden flash of a fox scurrying away and had then found the little rabbit.

Robbie had wrapped it in his coat to take it home. It had been so small, blood staining it's soft fur. Eyes wide, panicked and bleeding it had held itself still in Robbie's hands. 

In the dim light of Robbie's bunker Sportacus watched silently as Robbie very gently cleaned the rabbit's wounds. Fingers, though hindered by being cold and stiff, deftly bandaged a little paw, carefully disinfected bitemarks. 

Robbie was unexpectedly good at it and Sportacus quietly commented on it. Most of his attention on his work Robbie absentmindedly told him that he took care of his own injuries, that had been plenty of experience. 

Looking at the ease and expertise with which the man now worked it spoke volumes. Painful ones.  
It made Sportacus wonder how often exactly the man got hurt. Why his crystal never alerted him. Why Robbie never sought help.

His musings were interrupted by Robbie telling him to get some things from the fridge and the next mystery Sportacus wondered about why there were so many vegetables in the fridge. 

But then he focused on Robbie's shaking hands, the shivers that ran through the man's lanky form. How his breath was visible in the cold air of the vast space, his face pale and lips bloodless. Robbie seemed on the verge of hypothermia. 

The weather had taken a turn for the worse and it had become impossible for Sportacus to return to his airship. Uncharacteristically quiet Robbie led him away from the vast open space of Robbie's lair to his bedroom where he got them both warm and dry clothes. 

His eyes wide Robbie numbly watched Sportacus exercise to get warm then struggled in vain with the buttons on his vest as his frozen fingers refused to cooperate.

Exhaustion was clear in every line of his body as the task of getting changed out of his sodden clothes seemed unconquerable. 

Sportacus watched him for a moment then stilled Robbie's hands with his own, felt his heart break a little as Robbie flinched away, went as still as the wounded rabbit had been. 

They'd wrapped the little thing in warm blankets and put it to rest in a box. Right now Sportacus wanted to wrap Robbie in softness, wanted to keep him safe from the world too. 

What he did was reach out to help Robbie with his cuff-links, his vest, spats and boots. And then the man hastily grabbed the bundle of dry clothes, startled motions and panicked stammering as he fled to the bathroom. 

Sportacus was vaguely amused to notice that Robbie was wearing at least four pairs of socks as the man dashed past him then disappeared almost completely from sight as he huddled under the blankets.

A bit warmer due to his exercising Sportacus slid under the blankets with him.

Grey eyes wide Robbie stiffened then shuddered as he wrapped his arms around himself, hands sore and joints aching.

Sportacus watched him silently, tentatively, " Please let me help?" Achingly cautiously he reached out, wrapped blissfully warm fingers around Robbie's. 

Robbie froze.

Literally and figuratively.

But warm, Sportacus was oh so warm. Unconsciously Robbie pulled that warm hand closer, held it to his chest. 

Sportacus' other hand was tempting him. More warmth. 

Robbie was going back and forth between feeling safe and cozy, thawing slowly, and the terrifying notion of being trapped, frozen in the proverbial paralyzing headlights as Sportacus watched him with unnervingly gentle eyes. 

Robbie kept shaking and shivering, radiated misery. His throat felt tight, tears pricking in his eyes and his confused emotions all over the place.

Sportacus emanated warmth even far away as he was. Robbie wanted warmth, wanted to be held but he felt painfully awkward and jittery with someone this close. 

Sportacus thought carefully, watched Robbie's distress with sadness. The man was so tall and skinny, he didn't seem to be warming up. A pale, bluish tint to his lips, long fingers still so very cold as they trembled in Sportacus' hold.  
He wondered what had happened to Robbie, what had made him the man he was today. So wary and jumpy around people. Guarded and expecting to be turned away, flinching from friendly overtures.

Sportacus just wanted to hold Robbie close, to guard him from the world, show him that there was good and comfort and warmth. 

But doing so would only make things worse. It would feel like a restraint, a threat.

Sportacus remembered how Robbie seemed to do fine with doing the reaching out himself. Always touching, a hand on Sportacus' shoulder, his waist. And Robbie being confident, in control of the situation. 

"All right,", Sportacus had always been a man, Elf, to think on his feet. Literally. Flipping over he scooted backwards to Robbie, "Please hold me?" 

He waited for a moment, heard Robbie's startled gasp. No movement. Which was quite promising actually, Robbie had not yet bolted. 

Soft as if he was talking to a spooked animal Sportacus added a piteously note to his voice, "Please Robbie, it is so cold down here."

Robbie froze, his breath shallow and panicked. For a moment Sportacus feared he had pushed too hard.

But the request had put Robbie in control, the situation literally turned around. No eyes on him, no weight of expectation in them. Suddenly Sportacus felt Robbie move closer. Not quite touching but close. It seemed to be almost too much for a while and then a tentative hand on Sportacus shoulder, ice-cold fingers tense, seemingly ready to snatch away. A shuddering exhalation and the weight of the expectation of rejection in the freezing air.  
Sportacus very deliberately kept his shoulders relaxed, consciously kept his breathing deep and even. He felt a curled up hand coming to rest against his back. The touch of Robbie's knuckles against his shoulder-blade barely there. 

Time seemed to stretch out. It was quiet in Robbie's frosty lair, so quiet. 

Sportacus waited. 

And waited.

He thought about the time his father had taken him to spot polar foxes. The young ones had been so shy, so flighty, running and hiding at the minutest hint of danger. They had waited for hours for a glimpse of their soft tails. He had returned to that same spot day after day during a golden summer. He'd waited and watched and inched closer and closer. And then, one glorious day, one if the pups had come and sniffed his hand. He should have stayed still but in his exhilaration he'd stretched his hand out a little bit more. Sharp teeth, a flash of a red tail.. Blood had been dripping from his hand when he'd returned home. It had hurt. His mother's gentle scolding had hurt. But what had hurt the most is that he never saw the foxes again after that day. They had gone. He'd moved too fast, too bold. He'd scared them away. 

He'd had to have patience, he'd learned.

Wait for the fearful and anxious to come to him.

So he kept still and waited. 

And then Sportacus felt Robbie inch a little closer. Robbie's heartbeat as fast as that of the panicked rabbit. Felt Robbie tug the blankets a little higher over Sportacus' shoulder, felt Robbie's hand settle on his arm. Robbie's shaky breath as a soft caress on Sportacus' neck and the world went quiet as if muted by a layer of pure,fresh snow.

Sportacus wanted to cover Robbie's big hand with his own, wanted to draw it to his chest and warm those cold fingers against his heart. 

He didn't.

He waited.

And stayed still.

And eventually Robbie's breathing evened out, the crash of adrenaline too strong for even Robbie's special brand of troublesome insomnia.

Robbie slept.

Sportacus heart felt too big for his chest, filled with awe for the trust Robbie had in him, felt safe enough with him.

\------------

Robbie never seemed to get enough sleep, bruise-like shadows under his eyes and the naps he intended to take outdoors never working out. 

Sportacus wasn't going to disturb this rare rest. He listened to Robbie's calm deep breathing, all warm and cozy in Robbie's half embrace.  
Somewhere in the night Sportacus had turned over, had curled up against Robbie, nose in Robbie's neck. Robbie smelt so good.  
Robbie had an arm around him, had drawn him close, one hand big where it rested on the small of Sportacus' back. He held Sportacus' hand close to his heart with the other, their fingers entwined.

Robbie was relaxed in sleep.

And warm.

Before drifting off again Sportacus wondered if you could miss something you'd never had. 

\------------

Sportacus woke to Robbie scooting back from where they'd been nestled close together. There was mild panic on Robbie's face, eyes wide and shoulders tense. 

Ah.

Too much. 

Too fast.

Sportacus had planned to let Robbie determine whatever the man was comfortable with but in sleep he'd come too near .

Sportacus moved slowly, non-threatening. He smiled, retreated,

"Thank you for taking care of me Robbie. "

Robbie's nose twitched, he clearly wondered what it was he had done to help. His hands nervously twisted the blanket as his eyes looked everywhere but at Sportacus. Landed on the box close by.  
Sportacus watched as Robbie frowned with worry, knelt down next to the box and peered inside. Anxiously waited as Robbie carefully scooped up the purple bundle from within. Then two floppy white ears twitched from within the warm and cozy nest of towels. A twitching nose emerged, dark eyes.. 

Relief in every movement Robbie gently unwrapped the towels a little bit more, the little rabbit so very small in his big hands. Mindful of the animal's injuries he held it close, seemed to asses it's health. The rabbit wriggled, bumped it's little nose against Robbie's. 

Robbie laughed, startled and delighted. 

Sportacus watched helplessly charmed.

Admitted to himself that he was in over his head as his heart did a funny flip in his chest.

\------------

Upon returning from his trip to fetch Robbie the things he'd need to fix his heating system Sportacus found Robbie sound asleep in his chair. Swaddled as he was in blankets Sportacus could just make out the little twitching pink nose of the bunny as it slept cuddled close to Robbie's chest. 

Sportacus felt weirdly, vaguely jealous.

\------------

Sportacus used the excuse of checking up on the rabbit to visit again and again. With the bunny as a fluffy shield Robbie grew comfortable around him. They talked, really talked after a while. They bickered and laughed and sat in comfortable silence. There was something between them , a tension in the air, an expectation of...

Well, Sportacus knew what he was expecting, what he wanted. 

But he waited.

For Robbie. 

Saw it in him too. Saw the anxiety too. 

Sportacus waited.

Waited for Robbie to come to him.

Patient and impatiently. 

\------------

Winter had turned to spring. 

Robbie had come to take the rabbit up, had sat down in the grass and watched it hop around, it's soft little paws long healed.  
It never seemed to want to leave. On the contrary, it came back again and again, bumping it's pink nose against Robbie' hand.

Robbie laid down on his blanket and smiled as he watched the bunny sniff some tiny blue flowers, laughed out loud as it sneezed and shook it's head. Tired of exploring the rabbit came over to rest light and warm as it slept on it's preferred place on Robbie's chest, over his heart. 

A shadow fell over them and Robbie smiled warm and soft and welcoming at Sportacus. 

Sitting down next to him Sportacus reached out to stroke the soft fur of the bunny. 

And Robbie reached out too, his fingers gentle as the curled around Sportacus'. Pulled his hand, and Sportacus, closer. 

Sportacus held his breath. Robbie was still relaxed and smiling up at him. 

"Can I.." Sportacus voice was quiet, his blue eyes seeking Robbie's grey ones.

Robbie nodded, blush on his cheeks but meeting his eye. There was certainty in that nod.  
And Sportacus, mindful of the little rabbit, lent over, a hand next to Robbie's shoulder to steady himself, and kissed Robbie.

Warm and soft and Robbie sighed into the kiss. He pulled back lightly and smiled, his eyes so bright, and then surged up to kiss Sportacus again.

\------------


End file.
